5 Simple Ways to Free up Android Storage Space

Whether you have a low-end, mid-range or Flagship Android Smartphone, there is one thing all handset owners will eventually have in common. And that is a slowing device with a finite amount of Android storage space, something which will inevitably begin to degrade its performance should you not do something about it. Fortunately, there are quite a few options available for keeping your prized possession in top-notch shape, so continue to read to find out more!

Free up Android Storage Space with a MicroSD card

It may sound obvious, but a MicroSD card can be used for more than just storing images, video, and music! In fact, assuming that your handset supports them, they are a godsend for this particular task. However, handsets usually support a minimum of 32GB all the way up to a max of 256GB. So if yours is at capacity, it may be time to invest in something a little larger.

If you want to check the capacity of your current MicroSD card do the following:

1) Go to Settings >> General and then scroll down until you find Storage, and tap it. At the top of the following screen, you will see how much Android storage space is available. However, you need to scroll down to discover your MicroSD card capacities; only then will you know if a new card is required.

As for what else can be stored on a MicroSD card, Apps are hungry users of resources, taking up valuable space in your already limited storage. So, moving all of those that can be is a must, and easy to do as follows:

1) Start by opening Settings and then scrolling to Applications sometimes referred to as Applications Manager. Once there you can view all of the apps installed including those that can traverse across to the SDcard.

Moving an app across is as simple as choosing one from the list by tapping it. And then selecting MOVE TO SD CARD, once selected your Android device storage will become a little less clogged. This process can be repeated with as many applications as your card can hold.

Use an App to free up Space

Whether you use your smartphone for work or pleasure, one thing for certain is, it stores what you see and do. This includes web history, app cache, game saves, viewed images, messages, etc. And while Android does have inbuilt tools to discover these space clogging nasties, it’s not a one-stop solution. Which means trying to free your handset of those unwanted required files can be time-consuming without a dedicated application.

One application that can help with this problem and be downloaded / installed for free is Just Cleaner. It offers a useful interface and the ability to free up Android storage space, improve CPU, RAM, and Battery performance. However, its ability to dig deep into what it considers junk files and phone history are its main features.

Created by the same developer is the JF Manager app, unlike Just Cleaner, it is a dedicated file cleaner. And gives you the options to move or remove any file whether it be an image, video, audio, or document. Having these two applications work together would be of real benefit to you!

Cloud Storage has become a real option

If you’ve moved your apps to SD card, cleaned all the junk files and phone history, but require additional options. How about Cloud Storage, it can be used to keep all kinds of data safe. Such as work documents, treasured family video’s, and Photo’s, in fact almost anything that a service provider deems compatible.

Services of this kind include Google Photos, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive all of which can auto backup images. Additionally, they can be used to manually upload documents, images, video, and others at your time of choosing. Furthermore, each is available as an online portal, as well as an app. Having access to both is preferential, as this enables you to save computer files as well as clearing up Android storage space.

However, there is one downside to cloud storage, and that is it requires an internet connection to view your files. But, again, the benefits of being able to move documents and other files over to free up space is enormous.

Delete Unused Apps and Clear Cache

When it comes to Android phones, the majority of users do not regularly monitor their app usage. For the most part, apps are installed on a whim and then quickly forgotten. If that’s you, one of the fastest ways to free up Android storage space is to have an application cull. This requires that you go to Settings >> Applications and scroll through the list looking for those you no longer use.

Upon on finding one, Tap it and then select UNINSTALL. Doing so will remove it from your handset and free up the important space. However, what if you don’t want to uninstall an app? Fortunately, there is a way for you to reduce its footprint and as such its negative impact on your device. To do this go to Settings >> Applications, choose an app by Taping it followed by selecting CLEAR CACHE. Exactly how much Android storage space will be saved depends on the app, however, this should be indicated above the clear cache option.

Manually Delete unwanted files

Last up, there is the obvious option, which requires that you tap the App button which is usually located above the Home Button. Doing so will reveal your apps in alphabetical order, scroll through them until you find My Files or Files. Tapping on this folder will reveal all of the images, music, videos, documents, etc. on your device. Selecting one of them will unveil related files and enable you to delete or move them to external storage.

Final Thoughts

So there you have them, five different methods, which can all be used to free up Android storage space. As for which I prefer to use, I, in fact, use a combination of all five. Why? Because doing so enables me to be completely thorough and keep my Android storage space free and device performing well.

As for how often you should repeat this process: I suggest you use the Just Cleaner app on a weekly basis. Its many tools will help keep your handset or tablet in good working order. Followed by a once-per-month Android storage space clear-out, both of which will provide visible performance benefits.

About the author

Darren Wall

Darren hails from the UK, is a lover of all things mobile technology and likes to write about it all of the time. He's been writing for his own mobile tech blog and various others for over 13-years and cannot foresee a day in which he will become tired of doing so.

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